American Government compatible with AP®*

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Thinkwell's American Government compatible with AP®

Thinkwell's American Government compatible with AP® is taught by prestigious political science professors from top universities. Professors Gerald Rosenberg, Mark Rom, and Matthew Dickinson will teach you the foundations and advanced concepts of the U.S. Government and Politics AP® curriculum. Dozens of 10-minute videos replace a textbook, and online exercises reinforce learning.

The Printed Notes(optional) are the Thinkwell Honors American Government course notes printed in color, on-the-go format.

*(AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of this product. This course is designed for self-study preparation for the AP® exam and has not been audited by the College Board.)

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"Thinkwell's AP American Government and Politics class is as entertaining as it is informative. My son is learning a lot in this rigorous course. I feel he will be well prepared for the AP exam later in the year. Best of all, he really enjoys the lectures.”

– Denise B

"Both kids really like the videos. I have purchased both algebra 1 for my younger child and ap chemistry as well as government for my older student. I am very happy with each one.
The notes for government are awesome and no book is needed there. Also I couldn't believe how quickly the Thinkwell folks responded to my email when I messed up assigning my older student to his classes initially. I will most definitely purchase from them again. "

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Shawn M

"My daughters are both using Thinkwell AP American Government this year. We've used Thinkwell for two other courses (College Microeconomics and Precalculus). The curriculum is ideal for students who need to hear a lecture and not only read material (although one daughter prefers to print out the transcript to read). It's also ideal for self-paced work, providing a daily lesson plan, practice tests, and tests. We prefer Thinkwell to other online courses.”

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LeAnn M

Course Overview

What you get

12-month, online subscription to our complete American Government compatible with AP® course

Day-by-day course lesson plan

180+ course lessons, each with a streaming video

Illustrated notes

Automatically graded exercises with correct answer feedback

Chapter & Practice tests, a Midterm & Final Exam

Illustrated notes....and more!

How it works

Purchase Thinkwell's American Government compatible with AP® through our online store

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Login to the course website to access the online course materials, including streaming video lessons, exercises, quizzes, tests and more

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Your work is automatically tracked and updated in real-time

Transcripts, grade reports, and certificates of completion are available at request

Gerald Rosenberg is an associate professor of political science at
the University of Chicago, where he also directs the American Politics
Workshop and lectures at the law school. He holds a Masters Degree in
Politics and Philosophy from Christ Church, Oxford University and has a
law degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from Yale.

Mark RomGeorgetown University

A three-time winner of his school's Outstanding Faculty Member Award,
Mark Rom is an associate professor of government and public policy at
Georgetown University. He received his Ph.D. in political science from
the University of Wisconsin and worked for four years as a senior social
science analyst for the General Accounting Office.

Matthew DickinsonMiddlebury College

Matthew Dickinson is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard. A specialist on the presidency, he is the author of Bitter Harvest: FDR, Presidential Power and the Growth of the Presidential Branch.

Thinkwell's American Government compatible with AP® Table of Contents

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1. Constitutional Principles

1.1 The Foundations of Government

1.1.1 An Introduction to Government

1.1.2 Why Government?

1.1.3 Who Governs?

1.1.4 Political Power

1.2 Political Culture

1.2.1 An Introduction to Political Culture

1.2.2 The Foundations of American Culture

1.2.3 Unity and Diversity

1.2.4 Video Biography: What Is Government?

1.3 The History of the Constitution

1.3.1 Britain and the Colonies

1.3.2 The Articles of Confederation

1.3.3 The Constitutional Convention

1.3.4 Final Steps to a Federal Government

1.3.5 The Road to Ratification

1.4 The Constitution in Action

1.4.1 The Bill of Rights

1.4.2 Checks and Balances

1.4.3 Amending the Constitution

1.5 Why Federalism?

1.5.1 Three Democratic Systems of Government

1.5.2 The Pros and Cons of Federalism

1.6 Federalism in Action: Divided Powers

1.6.1 Federalism Today

1.6.2 Federalism Through History

1.6.3 Hot Topic: The Federal Trump Card: The Commerce Clause

2. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

2.1 An Introduction to Civil Liberties and Rights

2.1.1 The Creation of Rights

2.1.2 Equality of Opportunity Versus Equality of Results

2.1.3 Equal Protection Under the Law

2.2 First Amendment Rights

2.2.1 Freedom of Religion

2.2.2 Freedom of Expression: Criticizing the Government

2.2.3 Freedom of Expression: Pornography and Cyberspeech

2.2.4 Hot Topic: Hate Speech: Right to Free Expression or Invitation to Violence?

2.2.5 Freedom of Expression: A Free Press

2.2.6 The Right to Assemble

2.3 The Individual and Rights

2.3.1 Individual Freedoms Versus the Common Good

2.3.2 The Right to Privacy

2.3.3 Hot Topic: Email Privacy

2.3.4 The Individual in the Criminal Justice System

2.3.5 The Rights of the Accused

2.4 Additional Guarantees Under the Bill of Rights

2.4.1 Second Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms

2.4.2 Hot Topic: The Second Amendment and the Roberts Court

2.5 The African-American Struggle for Rights

2.5.1 Slavery and the Civil Rights Movement

2.5.2 The Struggle for Civil Rights: 1900–1950s

2.5.3 Civil Rights Legislation: 1960s and Later

2.5.4 Case Study: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

2.6 Civil Rights and Other Groups

2.6.1 Women and the Struggle for Rights

2.6.2 Rights Revolution: The Expansion of Rights

2.6.3 Hot Topic: Sexual Harassment

3. People and Politics

3.1 Public Opinion

3.1.1 What Is Public Opinion?

3.1.2 Political Socialization: Opinion and the Individual

3.1.3 Looking at Opinion Polls

3.2 Participation and Social Capital

3.2.1 Translating Opinion into Action

3.2.2 Who Participates?

3.2.3 The Importance of Participation: Social Capital

3.3 Mobilizing for Action

3.3.1 Organizing to Participate

3.3.2 Social Movements

3.3.3 Case Study: Same-Sex Marriages

3.3.4 Case Study: Same-Sex Marriage, Recent Developments

3.4 Interest Groups and Political Action Committees

3.4.1 Interest Groups and Their Impact on Politics

3.4.2 PAC Power

3.4.3 The Art of Lobbying

3.4.4 Regulating Organized Groups

4. Choosing Representatives

4.1 Political Parties: History and Origins

4.1.1 Political Parties and Their Functions

4.1.2 The American Two-Party System

4.1.3 A History of Political Parties in the U.S.

4.1.4 Case Study: Why No Socialism in America?

4.2 Political Parties Today

4.2.1 The Model of Responsible Party Government

4.2.2 Party Structure

4.2.3 Nominating

4.2.4 Parties and Money

4.2.5 The Changing Role of the National Convention

4.2.6 Hot Topic: Reform Party: New Party or Personal Vehicle?

4.3 Election Campaigns

4.3.1 Organizing to Run for Election

4.3.2 Campaign Strategy in the Primaries

4.3.3 Campaign Strategy in the General Election

4.3.4 Campaign Techniques, Part I

4.3.5 Campaign Techniques, Part II

4.3.6 Campaign Finance

4.3.7 Hot Topic: Campaign Finance Reform

4.3.8 Hot Topic: Update on Campaign Finance

4.4 Elections and Voting

4.4.1 Voter Turnout

4.4.2 Case Study: The Election of 1800: The Bitter Battle

4.4.3 Case Study: The Disputed Election of 1876

4.4.4 The Issues

4.4.5 Voting Decisions

4.4.6 Nonvoting

4.5 The Media and Politics

4.5.1 Media Influence on Elections

4.5.2 Media Bias

4.5.3 Influencing Elections and Shaping Public Opinion

4.5.4 Video Biography: Negative Campaign Ads

5. Political Institutions

5.1 Congress: Our Representatives

5.1.1 A Bicameral Legislative Body

5.1.2 Getting Elected to Congress

5.1.3 Staffs, Perks, and Specialized Offices

5.1.4 Roles of Legislators

5.1.5 Hot Topic: Term Limits

5.2 Congress in Action

5.2.1 Characteristics of the Two Houses

5.2.2 The House

5.2.3 The Senate

5.2.4 How a Bill Becomes Law

5.2.5 Evaluating Congress

5.3 The Office of the President

5.3.1 Being President

5.3.2 Presidential Leadership

5.3.3 The Presidential Staff and Advisers

5.3.4 Hot Topic: Presidential Pardons

5.4 The Roles of the President

5.4.1 Legislative Agenda Setter

5.4.2 National CEO

5.4.3 A World Leader

5.4.4 Hot Topic: Edith Wilson as Petticoat President

5.4.5 Party Leader

5.4.6 Hot Topic: Presidential Character

5.5 The Powers of the President

5.5.1 Powers and Privileges

5.5.2 Checks and Restraints on Presidential Power

5.5.3 Hot Topic: Executive Privilege

5.5.4 Hot Topic: Presidential War Powers

5.6 Divided Government

5.6.1 Controlling Extremes

5.6.2 Lobbying the President and Congress

5.6.3 Hot Topic: The Electoral College

5.7 The Federal Bureaucracy

5.7.1 The Federal Bureaucracy

5.7.2 Hot Topic: The Department of Homeland Security

5.7.3 Policymakers and Implementers

5.7.4 Budgetmaking

5.7.5 Controls on Bureaucracy

5.7.6 Reform Efforts

5.7.7 Case Study: The IRS

5.8 The Federal Court System

5.8.1 Court Powers and Restraints

5.8.2 Prosecution and Defense in Federal Courts

5.8.3 Case Study: Roe v. Wade and the Abortion Movement, Part I

5.8.4 Case Study: Roe v. Wade and the Abortion Movement, Part II

5.9 The Supreme Court

5.9.1 Appointing the Court

5.9.2 Leadership on the Supreme Court

5.9.3 Process and Calendar

5.9.4 Early Decisions That Defined Federal Power

5.9.5 Case Study: Affirmative Action

5.9.6 Case Study: Incorporation

5.9.7 Hot Topic: The Bush Appointments, 2001–2006

5.9.8 Hot Topic: The Obama Appointments

6. Public Policy

6.1 Policymaking

6.1.1 Purpose and Policymaking

6.1.2 Policy Development

6.1.3 Changing Public Policy

6.1.4 The Media and Governance

6.1.5 Case Study: School Vouchers

6.2 Economic Policy

6.2.1 Theories of Economic Policy

6.2.2 Tax Policy

6.2.3 How the Budget Influences Policy

6.2.4 Understanding Debts, Deficits, and Surpluses

6.2.5 Case Study: U.S. Debts, Deficits, and Surpluses

6.2.6 Managing the Economy

6.2.7 Case Study: The Credit Crisis of 2008

6.2.8 The Global Economy and the U.S.

6.2.9 Case Study: Energy Policy

6.2.10 Case Study: Environmental Policy

6.3 Social Policy

6.3.1 Promoting the General Welfare

6.3.2 Social Policy and Poverty

6.3.3 Senior Citizens

6.3.4 Health Care

6.3.5 Hot Topic: Health-Care Reform

6.3.6 Education

6.3.7 Hot Topic: Invisible Welfare

6.4 Foreign Policy: An Introduction

6.4.1 U.S. Foreign Policy: Pre–20th Century

6.4.2 U.S. Foreign Policy: 20th Century and Beyond

6.5 Foreign Policy: The Cast of Characters

6.5.1 The U.S. President

6.5.2 Influences on Presidents' Behavior

6.5.3 The United Nations

6.5.4 Treaties and Alliances

6.6 The Post-Cold War Era

6.6.1 Consequences of the Collapse of the USSR

6.6.2 Defense Issues

6.6.3 Foreign Aid

6.6.4 Hot Topic: The World Trade Organization: Corporate Power Run Rampant?

6.6.5 Hot Topic: 9/11 and the War on Terror

6.6.6 Hot Topic: The Iraq War

7. Toward a Changing Democracy

7.1 Citizen Participation in the New Century

7.1.1 A Clash of Values for Governance

7.1.2 Immigration and the New Governance

7.1.3 Political Participation in the New Century

7.1.4 Case Study: The 2000 Election

7.1.5 Case Study: The 2004 Election

7.1.6 Case Study: The 2006 Election

7.1.7 Case Study: The 2000 Census

8. Appendix: Key Supreme Court Cases

8.1 Key Supreme Court Cases

8.1.1 McCulloch v. Maryland

8.1.2 Miranda v. Arizona

8.1.3 Korematsu v. United States

8.1.4 Marbury v. Madison

8.1.5 New York Times v. Sullivan

8.1.6 City of Indianapolis v. Edmond

8.1.7 Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe

8.1.8 Washington v. Glucksberg

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Frequently Asked Questions for Thinkwell's American Government compatible with AP®

How do Thinkwell courses work?

Your student watches a 5-15 minute online video lesson, completes the automatically graded exercises for the topic with instant correct-answer feedback, then moves on to the next lesson!
The course is self-paced, or you can use the daily lesson plans. Just like a textbook, you can choose where to start and end, or follow the entire table of contents.

When does my 12-month online subscription start?

It starts when you're ready. You can have instant access to your online subscription when you purchase online, or you can purchase now and start later.

What is the difference between American Government and the American Government compatible with AP course?

They are very similar in topic coverage but vary in exercises. If your student is planning to take the AP exam, then American Government compatible with AP is the way to go.

Does my student get school credit for Thinkwell American Government compatible with AP?

No, only schools are accredited and Thinkwell is not a school, though many accredited schools use Thinkwell. Getting AP® credit is accomplished by taking the AP exam®.

Is American Government compatible with AP® certified by the College Board?

The College Board® states at their website: “The AP Course Audit process is designed to review AP courses in their entirety, so only schools (whether brick-and-mortar or virtual) can submit course syllabi for review.” Since Thinkwell is a publisher and not a school, our materials can’t be certified. We strive to make this distinction, which is why you see this statement: AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in its production. This course is designed for self-study preparation for the AP® exam and has not been audited by the College Board.

What if my student needs access to the course for more than 12 months?

You can purchase extra time in one-month, three-month, and six-month increments.

Can I share access with more than one student?

The courses are designed and licensed to accommodate one student per username and password; additional students need to purchase online access. This allows parents to keep track of each student's progress and grades.

How long does it take to complete Thinkwell American Government compatible with AP?

The pace of your course is up to you, but most students will schedule one semester.